Rating: 
Summary: Just plain fun
Review: This was one of the most fun books I've read in a long time. I got it for my birthday finished it three days later. I've already loaned it to three of my friends and they liked it as much as I did. I can't wait until the next book comes out.
Rating:
Summary: Just plain fun
Review: This was one of the most fun books I've read in a long time. I got it for my birthday finished it three days later. I've already loaned it to three of my friends and they liked it as much as I did. I can't wait until the next book comes out.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've read this year
Review: When a friend gave me a copy of this book I almost didn't read it. I had never heard of LaMontagne or Snyder and was anxious to read the fourth Harry Potter book which I had just purchased the day before. He made me read the prologue and first couple of chapters, which I did. The book grabbed me from the very first page, and by the time Rodney and Aimee were pulled into the land of Daak I knew that Harry Potter would just have to wait. I was reading something much better.From the moment they arrived in Daak until their last battle with the evil sorceress Haeron, I was engrossed. The story was action-packed and the characters some of the most believable I've read in a long time. I laughed out loud at the Ward and held my breath during the entire waterfall sequence. LaMontagne and Snyder made me feel emotions like few authors can. I hardly ever re-read a book, but I know I'll be picking this one up again.
Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Treat
Review: When people write reviews they tend, very often, to relate the novel to other books in the genre. I am going to try to avoid doing that. No references to Harry Potter, or Narnia or any of the less obvious comparisons. I'm going to try to limit my comments to this book alone, because it is a strong story that stands on its own merits. While this is a fantasy story that will appeal to lovers of both fantasy and young adult books, it's strength lies with its characters. Unlike most genre books where the protagonists come from the cliche broken home, Aimee and Rodney come from a loving family though at first they (especially Rodney) don't appreciate what they have. It is only after they are brought, one willingly and one by accident, into the land of Daak where magic rules that they are able to understand their relationship to each other and the importance of their parents in their lives. This doesn't happen all at once. It takes time for them to grow and to learn to work together, but grow they do. And as their relationship to each other develops, so too do they help those they meet along the way realize their true potential. Whether it's teaching Gillian, a warrior from a tribe of women who hates all men, to appreciate others and to judge them on their merits not their chromosomes or providing Yens with the tools for his ultimate redemption, Rodney and Aimee include several others in their personal journey of growth. But the depth of the characters is only one of this novel's charms. There is also the action. The authors keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the story, expertly ending most chapters with a cliffhanger and weaving just enough twists and turns to keep you flipping the pages. Haeron is a terrific villain (although I would have liked to see a little more of her - her presence is always felt, but the focus is always on the twins and their quest - we never really get to know her until the end of the book). If you've read King Fortis the Brave you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? This is one of those rare books that stays with you long after you've read the final page.
Rating:
Summary: An Enjoyable Treat
Review: When people write reviews they tend, very often, to relate the novel to other books in the genre. I am going to try to avoid doing that. No references to Harry Potter, or Narnia or any of the less obvious comparisons. I'm going to try to limit my comments to this book alone, because it is a strong story that stands on its own merits. While this is a fantasy story that will appeal to lovers of both fantasy and young adult books, it's strength lies with its characters. Unlike most genre books where the protagonists come from the cliche broken home, Aimee and Rodney come from a loving family though at first they (especially Rodney) don't appreciate what they have. It is only after they are brought, one willingly and one by accident, into the land of Daak where magic rules that they are able to understand their relationship to each other and the importance of their parents in their lives. This doesn't happen all at once. It takes time for them to grow and to learn to work together, but grow they do. And as their relationship to each other develops, so too do they help those they meet along the way realize their true potential. Whether it's teaching Gillian, a warrior from a tribe of women who hates all men, to appreciate others and to judge them on their merits not their chromosomes or providing Yens with the tools for his ultimate redemption, Rodney and Aimee include several others in their personal journey of growth. But the depth of the characters is only one of this novel's charms. There is also the action. The authors keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the story, expertly ending most chapters with a cliffhanger and weaving just enough twists and turns to keep you flipping the pages. Haeron is a terrific villain (although I would have liked to see a little more of her - her presence is always felt, but the focus is always on the twins and their quest - we never really get to know her until the end of the book). If you've read King Fortis the Brave you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? This is one of those rare books that stays with you long after you've read the final page.
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